Friday started out gray and cold but with the promise of better weather
ahead, Darrell and I got packed up for the weekend and started for our
motel. We decided that it would be better to stay over and drive back
slow the next day due to time constraints. Traffic was a nightmare. What
should have taken us about and hour and a half took us over 3 hours. We
knew that it would be tough getting to Frederick MD. because of traffic
but this was crazy. It was while we were sitting in the middle of the
traffic going no where fast that we heard about Gene Autry passing away.
Our first thoughts were Oh No! and then would the Riders actually
perform?
Well, by the time we actually found our motel; checked in; had supper;
etc.... we were actually starting out late to the Weinberg Center for
the Performing Arts. Trying to find it in the dark (and the wet also)
made us late for the start of the concert. We actually walked in when
Ranger Doug was saying to the audience "Don't touch that dial folks...
It wouldn't be the cowboy way!"
The Riders and Joey were real troopers that night. You could tell that
Gene's passing had a great affect on them. But the concert went on in
their usual style. They did a lot of Gene's songs interspersed with
their own plus a mini tribute to him to finish out the first half of the
concert. Some of the songs that they did included Wahoo, Cherokee,
Jingle Jangle Jingle, Rawhide (and the bowling version), Palindrome
(with some new palindromes thrown in), Cimmeron Moon, Tumblin'
Tumbleweeds, Back In The Saddle Again, Be Honest With Me, Cowboy Camp
Meeting, Surfin' USA, and of course towards the end of the second half
they did the Roy Rogers tribute also. I think that these little tributes
may become a standard with them.
Joey also sang two songs with their help! Shifting Sands and Hoop De Doo
to great applause plus the one instrumental number that he plays. The
Riders chided me a little from stage when I cheered for Joey. They said
that I was the one half of the Joey fan club here that night. They also
laughed when I was the only one to applaud and cheer Ranger Doug's solo
album. Yeah Joey for the great music!
The 8 track tape was one by a gentlemen who said that he had seen one of
the concerts a year ago and the Riders had mentioned that they only had
one pair of underwear amongst the three of them. He then proceeded to
hand them three pairs of cow spotted boxer shorts pinned together. Too
Slim promptly handed him the 8 track.
At the end of the concert they came back and did Walks With The Wild And
The Lonely as an encore. This was totally acoustic/unplugged. The
Weinberg Center is a lovely old theater restored to its grandeur and the
acoustics were wonderful. Being two rows from the stage didn't hurt also.
After that number Too Slim threw his tie into the audience acouple of
seats away from Darrell and I. A gentleman caught the tie and passed it
to me. I told him he could have it but he said that since I had had so
much fun there that night he thought Too Slim had meant it for me.
Wasn't that so nice. (He also said that since the Riders were calling me
Joey's fan club that obviously I should have it also when I tried to hand to
back to him).
We talked to each one for a couple of minutes. I got hugs from Joey and
Too Slim plus where was the ice cream. I told them that Roberta had said
not to bring any unless it was made from tofu because they're still on
their diets but Too Slim said that was ok as they were headed to
Kentucky right afterwards. So Darrell and I wished them safe trails and
headed on our way also.